英語名人堂：比爾·蓋茨

比爾·蓋茨(Bill Gates)，全名威廉·亨利·蓋茨三世，簡稱比爾或蓋茨。1955年10月28日出生于美國華盛頓州西雅圖，企業(yè)家、軟件工程師、慈善家、微軟公司創(chuàng)始人。曾任微軟董事長、CEO和首席軟件設計師。

比爾·蓋茨13歲開始計算機編程設計[1] ，18歲考入哈佛大學，一年后從哈佛退學，1975年與好友保羅·艾倫一起創(chuàng)辦了微軟公司[2] ，比爾蓋茨擔任微軟公司董事長、CEO和首席軟件設計師。

比爾·蓋茨1995-2007年連續(xù)13年成為《福布斯》全球富翁榜首富[3] ，連續(xù)20年成為《福布斯》美國富翁榜首富[4] 。

2000年，比爾·蓋茨成立比爾和梅琳達·蓋茨基金會，2008年比爾蓋茨宣布將580億美元個人財產捐給慈善基金會[5] ，2014年比爾·蓋茨辭去董事長一職[6] 并擊退卡洛斯·斯利姆重回世界首富。[7]

2015年美國當?shù)貢r間9月29日，《福布斯》發(fā)布美國富豪400強榜單顯示，微軟公司創(chuàng)始人蓋茨憑借760億美元凈資產，連續(xù)第22年高居榜首[8-10]

2016年3月1日，福布斯公布了最新一期全球富豪榜單，雖然比爾·蓋茨的個人財富比2015年少了42億美金，但他這次以750億美金個人財富仍連續(xù)三年位居榜首。

William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955. He is one of the world's richest people and perhaps the most successful businessman ever. He co-founded the software giant Microsoft and turned it into the world’s largest software company. He is the best-known entrepreneur1 of the PC revolution. He has also written two best-selling books and started his own charity with his wife.

Gates was fascinated with electronics from a young age. In 1975 he read about a small technology company. He contacted them to see if they were interested in a computer programme he had written. This led to the creation4 of Microsoft. Gates later struck a deal with IBM that put Microsoft's Windows on IBM computers. This deal made Microsoft a major player in the IT industry.

Gates was in charge at Microsoft from 1975 until 2006. He was an active software developer at the beginning. He had a vision that computers could change everyone’s life. He helped make this vision come true and developed many products that are now part of modern life. His management style has been studied and copied around the world.

Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO in June 2008. He now spends his time with his wife, Melinda, focusing on their charitable foundation. They provide funds for global problems that are ignored by governments and other organizations. ‘Time’ magazine voted Gates as one of the biggest influences of the 20th Century. Scientists named the Bill Gates flower fly after him.

1 entrepreneur

n.企業(yè)家，主辦人

參考例句：

The entrepreneur has become a news figure.這位企業(yè)家變成了新聞人物。

The entrepreneur takes business risks in the hope of making a profit.企業(yè)家為追求利潤而冒險。

2 fascinated

a.被強烈地吸引住，感到著迷的

參考例句：

China has always fascinated me. 中國一直令我心馳神往。

The children watched, fascinated, as the picture began to appear. 電影開始以后孩子們入迷地觀看著。

3 electronics

n.電子器件，電子學，電子技術

參考例句：

About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.蘇格蘭約有4.5萬人在電子行業(yè)工作。

He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想溫習他的電子學知識。

4 creation

n.創(chuàng)造，創(chuàng)造的作品，產物，宇宙，天地萬物

參考例句：

Language is the most important mental creation of man.語言是人類頭腦最重要的產物。

The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戲場的建立將有益于當?shù)氐膬和?/p>